Automatic speed regulator for timepieces



May 22, 1951 R. E. HOLDMAN 2,554,029

AUTOMATIC SPEED REGULATOR FOR TTMEPIEcEs Filed Aug. 7, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @d #09 @animi-A llll/11111111 Illa n llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll uume'lllm IN VEN TOR. 07i00/`76N May 22, 1951 R. E. HoLDMAN 2,554,029

.AUTOMATIC SPEED REGULATOR FOR TIMEPIEcEs Filed Aug. '7, 1946 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l'rllllll'lllll ff ,IN1/EN TOR.

@5f/W A/aM/WM/ May 22, 1951 R. E. HOLDMAN 2,554,029

AUTOMATIC SPEED REGULATOR FOR TIMEPIECES Filed Aug. '7, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 22, T951 U NITE D S TATES PAT ENT OFF I C E 2,554,029 A'roMATIo'sPEED REGULATOR Fon TIMEPIECES Robert Ellsworth -Holdman,'Ne`w York, N. Y.

Application August 7, 1946, Serial No. 689,011

Claims. .1

This invention `relates to 'timepie'cea and pai'- ticularly to timepieces equipped with lspeed regu*- lators for the correction of inaccuracies jin time keeping.

An object -of the invention is to provide for the automatic vadjust'ment-of ithe vspeed regulator of a timepiece, such as an ordinary clock or watch, coincidentally with the moving of the hands thereof from incorrect to correct time indicating position.

An object is to provide for the `labove, in V'certain embodiments, only within a relatively :narrow range of time inaccuracy, t'o fminimize 'the chances of eiiecting a speed adjustment in KVinstances where the need for resetting the timepiece is due to a running down `of the 'spring mechanism through failure to Wind, rather than from any necessity for speed regulation.

A further object is rto provide for the accomplishment of the above by means of relatively simple and inexpensive 'additions Ito vconventional timepiece mechanisms.

A feature of the inventionin the attainment of these objects is the provision of cam means furnishing a measure of the extent and nature of adjustment to be automatically effected by the operation of resetting the hands `-of the timepiece from incorrect to correct vtime indicating position.

A feature is the provision of means for orienting the position of hand-setting mechanism with that of the cam means, so the operation Aof setting the timepiece can actually commence only when a given initial relationship vis established between the two.

A further feature resides in the making of the cam means in substantially the form of a 'disc with an irregular Vcircumferential rim, against which is pressed, resiliently, lever mechanism for controlling the transmission of motion to the speed regulator adjustment means in accordance with its displacement radially of the cam 'disc by reason of the nature and extent 'ofthe irregujlarities 'of the said circumferential rim thereof.

These and other objects 'and features of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the preferred specific embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 represents a view from the rear of a clock equipped with automatic speed regulator adjusting mechanism pursuant to vthe invention, back wall structure of the clock housing being removed;

Fig. 2, a horizontal section taken along "ap- 2 proximately the line 2*-2, Fig. 1, side wall portions of the clock housing being removed;

Fig. 3, 'a detail section taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 2,fand drawn to an enlarged scale;

Fig. "4, a detail 'section taken on the line 6 4, Fig. 1, and likewise drawn to an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5, *a fragmentary view corresponding to the sectional view 'of Fig. 2, but illustrating the hand-setting mechanism and the regulator adjusting mechanism as they appear in the position of orientation immediately prior to the combined hand-setting and regulator-adjusting opraton Fig. 6, a detail plan view of a differently congurated cam wheel which maybe employed instead of the one illustrated in the foregoing iigures;

'Fig. "7, a fragmentary View of a watch equipped with fautomatic speed regulator and adjusting mechanism pursuant to the invention, the back cover *plate being removed and just enough of the'inechanism being shown to illustrate the arrangement o'f parts :in Ithe winding and normal running conditionof the watch;

Fig. 8, fa view corresponding to that of Fig. '7 but Iillustrating more ofthe mechanism, and showing the arrangement of parts when the winding fstein is pulled out to hand-setting position;

Fig. 4r9, a 'View corresponding to that of Fig. 8 but taken from 'the front face of the watch, a major portion of the dial face being broken away to reveal otherwise hidden parts;

Fig, 10, a detail section taken on the line Ill-40, Fig. 8;

11, a detail section taken on the line HLN, Fig. 9;

vFig. 12, a detail section taken on the line laf-l2, Fig. 9;

Fig. 13, a fragmentary view corresponding to the View of Fig. 9, but illustrating the arrangement of parts following the turning of the Windingv stem to the position of orientation where further turning ywill errent both hand-setting and regulator adjustment; and

Fig `14, 'a detail `section taken on the line Iii-LM, Fig. 13.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 through '5 thereof, where the invention 'is illustrated embodied in one type of clock Vmechanism having hand-setting means ccntrolled by a knurled stem i0, see especially Figs. 2 and `5, and having, further, a speed regulator which includes the adjustable arm I l iixed 611 ithe Spindle l2 and provided with an' angularly extending linger Ila whose slotted free end engages the outer coil of the hair spring E3. The spindle I2 is mounted for rotation in the frame member I4, and journals at an end thereof one needle bearing of the spindle E5 upon which is mounted the usual balance wheel EG. Movement of the arm l I upwardly efectively shortens the hair spring I3, and makes the clock mechanism run faster; movementl downwardly effectively lengthens such hair spring, and mal); s the clock run slower.

During the normal running of the clock, the stem i0 is in the pulled-out position shown in Fig. 2, the pawl II, however, ordinarily resting in the relatively shallow circumferential groove I8, where it prevents pushing in of the stem. A spring I9 urges the pawl il radially inwardly of the stem, and, when the stem is rotated, presses the pawl into the longitudinally extending groove 2!) which is deeper than the circumferential groove I8. When the click of the pawl dropping into the groove 20 is heard and also felt during rotation of the stem IIB, the operator knows that the stem may be pushed, at that point, into its hand-setting position, the groove 20 being sloped gradually to a second circumferential groove 2i in which the pawl rides during the hand-setting and regulator-adjusting operation, see Fig. 5. It should be noted that the sides of groove 2li are rounded, see Fig. 3, so the pawl pops back into the circumferential groove I8 merely by further rotation of the stem I0 in its pulled-out position.

The stem I0 has an elongated shank IIJa journaled in a sleeve bearing 2?. which is mounted in the frame member I4, and terminates in a resilient clutch member 23 adapted to frictionally engage the clutch disc 24 of hand-setting mechanism when the stem is pushed in, in the manner mechanism is conventional, and may comprise a friction clutch 25 operative to transmit rotation to the post arrangement 26 which mounts the minute and hour hands 2l and 28, respectively, and their associated gearing, see Fig. 2.

Pinned or otherwise rigidly ixed to the elongated portion IIla of the stem Il for rotation therewith is a cam disc 29 having an irregular circumferential rim, the irregularities of which determine the cam action of the disc and the nature and extent of adjustment of the speed regulator II. As illustrated, see Fig. 1, the rim of the cam disc 2S is irregular over only a minor portion of its circumference, there being an arcuate protruding portion 25a of greater radiiV s than the normal disc radius and an adjoining arcuate depressed portion 29h of less radii-than the normal disc radius.

Pressing against the circumferential rim of the cam disc 29, normally at a point 29e disposed between the protruding portion 29a and the depressed portion 2S?) and of normal disc radius, is the contact nub 33a of a lever 36. Such lever 30 is pivoted intermediate its length, a perpendicular sleeve portion lilb thereof being tted upon a fixed shaft 3! for the purpose. The sleeve portion 3G13 is free for rotational movement and for back and forth sliding movement on the said fixed shaft 3i. A coil spring 32, anchored at one end to a frame member 33 and attached at the other end to one arm 30e of the lever, urges the contact nub 30a against the cam disc rim, maintaining it always in contact therewith, and a link 34 articulatively connects the other arm 30d of the lever t0 an aforo-explained. Such hand-setting arm 35d extending rigidly from a resilient clutch member 35, which latter is freely mounted for rotative movement on the elongated portion IIla of the stem I0.

Accordingly, when the cam disc 29 is rotated by rotation oi the stem It, the lever 30 is displaced substantially radially of the cam disc, either outwardly of the center of the cam disc or inwardly thereof, depending upon whether the rotation is clockwise, considered from the standpoint of Fig. l, or counterclockwise. This produces a proportional rotation of the resilient clutch member 35 either clockwise or counterclockwise, as the case may be.

Guide plates Sile and lf advantageously project beyond the contact nub Sila and receive the circumferential margin of the cam disc 29 therebetween for maintaining surface alignment and edge-to-edge contact of said nub 30a with said cam disc 29, see especially Fig. 4.

Arranged to be gripped by the resilient lingers of clutch member when the stem iii is pushed into the hand-setting position of Fig. 5 is a clutch disc portion Sta of a gear 35, such gear being mounted for rotation on the bearing 22 and being disposed in meshing engagement with the driven gear 3i of a train or gears arranged to properly transmit rotative motion to the speed regulator II. The said train of gears includes an intermediate gear 38 and a drive gear 39, the latter being mounted on the spindle I2 to rotate freely thereon and being connected in drive relationship therewith by the normally effective safety clutch 2D.

Accordingly, when the stem I0 is pushed into the hand-setting position illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein the clutch member engages the clutch 24 for turning the respective time-indicating hands 2l and 23, the coincidental engagement of clutch member 35 with the clutch disc portion 36a of gear S3 effects rotational movement of speed regulator `la concomitant with the hand-setting rotation of stem I il and proportional thereto in degree determined by the character of the irregular portion of the circumferential rim of the cam disc 29.

In the illustrated instance above described, the irregular portion or the cam disc 29, made up as it is of the protruding portion 29a and the adjoining depressed portion 29h, is of limited extent. Consequently effective adjustment of the time regulator II is carried out only within a relatively narrow range of time inaccuracy, e. g. within a range oi ten minutes slow or fast. Ordinarily this range is ample. Thus, should the user forget to wind the clock, and it runs down and stops, thereby necessitating the resetting of the hands over an interval greater than the given narrow range, no effective adjustment of the speed regulator is made, unless, by chance, the correction is within any hour multiple of any 'ligure within the said narrow range. Should this occur it merely occasions an additional one or more resettings of the clock until the proper position of speed regulator II is again achieved.

In this connection it should be noted that rotation of the cam disc 25J to such an extent that either the protruding portion 29a or the depressed pcrtion '2gb of its rim passes completely beyond the contact nub 30a, places some rim point with normal radius equivalent to that of the point 28o against said nub Ella, and whatever adjustment of the speed regulator II that has been effected by radial displacement of the lever 30 has been, what is herein termed, .inefiective," that is., of equivalent radial displacement, both inwardly and outwardly, or vice versa as the .case may be, the net eiect being zero.

The `rcam disc 29 is so positioned .on thestem l0 that, when pawl i1 .drops into the longitudinal slot 20, contact nnb 30a rests against point .2.90 of normal cam disc radius. Thus, `the handsetting ,mechanism is always orientated with the cam means in a given Imanner before the handsett-ing operation can commence.

As mentioned previously, the cam disc 29 may be `conigurated to .produce any desired results in particular instances.. For example, ythe rim oi .cam disc r2.9 of Fig.. .6 has a .depressed portion 25h which extends circumierentially from the deepest part adjacent the point 23e of normal cam disc radius, in gradually increasing radii, i. e. in substantially outward spiral formation, to a point A of normal .cam disc radius located diametrically opposite the point 29e', where the protruding portion 23a commences and gradually builds up in continuing outward spiral formation to its highest part adjacent the point 29e. This type of cam disc is vespecially adapted for clocks commonly used in automotive vehicles., where winding is accomplished electrically at frequent intervals. It provides for regulation over a wide range of inaccuracy of time indication.

As illustrated, the 360 angular' degrees of any cam disc is effective over a 360 angular degree sweep of the hands of the timepiece. However the provision of step-up gearing for the hands would make a cam disc effective over several times the 360 degree sweep of the hands, depend ing upon the gear ratio, if that were to be found desirable in particular instances.

In Figs. 7 through 14 the invention is illustrated as applied to a Watch of conventional construction. The structural characteristics of this embodiment are, in many respects, quite different from the foregoing clock embodiment. Nevertheless, the two embodiments share important structural and functional features, and, generically speaking, are Very similar.

In Fig. 7 the winding stem 5l] of the watch is shown pushed in, which is the normal winding and running position. Such winding stem has an elongated upper portion 50a, which is cylindrical and passes through the tubular driven widing gear 5i for free rotation therewithin. The stem has, further, an elongated lower portion 50h, which is square in right cross-section and has mounted thereon, for free sliding move- F5 ment longitudinally thereof, the tubular drive winding gear see especially Fig. 10. A headed pin whose shank is cylindrical and extends into a correspondingly cylindrical recess '50c in the stern portion 55D is resiliently urged against the lower end of the stem portion 56h, and follows its movement upwardly when the stem is pulled ont into handnsetting position, see Figs. 8 and 9, by means of a link 54 working from a pinion 55 which is maintained under the constant urge of a spring 55.

The pinion 55 meshes with a second pinion 51, from which rigidly extends a lever arm 58 whose rounded head-end 55a rests in an outer circumferential groove 52a formed intermediate the toothed ends of the drive winding gear 52. The urge of spring '56 is transmitted from pinion 55 to pinion 5i' and serves to normally maintain the drive winding gear 52 in such a position that its 6 toothed upper end .52h meshes with the toothed lower end 5m of driven winding gear 5|.

A spur gear portion 51h of the `driven winding gear iii meshes with an intermediate gear 59 which, in turn meshes with' a winding gear 60, all in conventional fashion. Thus, when in the position of Fig. 7 the winding stem 553 is rotated in the proper direction the watch is wound in conventional manner.

When the winding stem 50 is pulled out into the hand-setting position of Figs. 8 and 9, the headed pin 53 follows the lower end of the stem upwardly under the urge of spring 56, and, by rotating pinion causes the drive winding gear 52 to disengage from driven winding gear 5l and to slide down the stem portion 50h to the position illustrated in 8 and 9. In that position, the lower crown gear end 52e of drive winding gear 52 meshes with a gear El, see especially Fig. l1, which transmits rotation through a friction clutch 5E to a gear t3, the rst of a train of gears making up part of the motion-transmitting means operative between the hand-setting means and the adjusting means for the speed regulator of the watch.

The speed regulator is conventional; it includes a disc SQ, Fig. 8, `fixed to a spindle S40, on which it may be rotated, and rhas a finger lb which engages the outer loop of the hair spring B of the watch. A gear titi-3 freely mounted on the spindle 55.0. for rotative movement, and con-4 nected to the saine by a friction safety clutch El for transmitting the rotative movement thereto, is driven by a train of gears (i6-2; 65E-l, Fig. 8, and S6, Fig. 9 the latter arranged to be engaged and driven by a gear portion of the regulator adjusting means of the invention, hereinafter described.

The gear train making up part of the aforesaid motion-transmitting means between the winding andhandesetting stem 5&3 of the Watch and the regulator adjusting means is driven by reason of the meshing engagement of the lower toothed end 52o of drive winding gear 51! with the rst gear e3 of the train. Such train includes a plurality of gears mounted for rotation on a floating frame @8, which is pivoted at G9 to swing through a limited stroke; and includes, further, a gear 1B freely mounted for rotation on the pivot 5.9 and in mesh with the gear t3. The gears mounted on the :trame 55 comprise gears l l, l2, and i3, the gear il being in mesh with gear 'lil and being adapted to maire and break meshing engagement with a hand-setting drive pinion Ill in accordance with the change in position of the frame, the gear 'i3 carrying in iixed relationship therewith a cam disc l5, and the gear 'i2 being intermediate the two gears il and meshing with both and serving to transmit rotation from the former to the latter.

The floating frame lie has an arm 68a secured to one end of a spring le, whose opposite end is fast on the stub shaft portion 55a oi pinion 55. Such spring 'i5 is substantially untensioned when the stem 55 is in the normal pushed-in winding position of Fig. 7, but, through the rotational movement of pinion 55, is tensioned when the stem 5e is pulled out to the hand-setting position of Figs` 8 and 9. The tension of spring l5 urges frame toward the left in Fig. 9, and would ordinarily swing it in that direction on its pivot E9 were it not for the stop action of resilient nger fastened .at 'iti and restrained from rotation by pin 'ld and corresponding hole 13b and bearing directly against the rim of a disc 'i9 made 9 thereof to the said adjusting means of the speed regulator; and means locking the said stem against longitudinal displacement except at a given circumferential location suitably oriented with said cam disc.

5. Mechanism as set forth in claim 4, wherein means are provided on the stem for engaging the hand-setting mechanism of the timepiece when the stated engaging parts are in engagement', and for disengaging therefrom when the latter are moved out of engagement.

6. Mechanism as set forth in claim il, wherein the stem-locking means comprises two longitudinally spaced, circumferential grooves formed about the stem, the said grooves being connected by a longitudinal notch whose position is suitably oriented with the cam disc, and a pawl resiliently pressed against the stem within thezone comprehended by said grooves.

7. In a timepiece having hand-setting means, including a manually manipulative winding and hand-setting stein arrangement longitudinally shiftable from winding position to hand-setting position and vice-versa, and having, further, a speed regulator equipped with adjusting means, mechanism for automatically regulating the timepiece coincidentally with the resetting of the hands from incorrect to correct time indication, comprising a pivoted frame; resilient means normally maintaining said frame in a given position; means associated with said stem arrangement for urging said frame from its said given position when the stern arrangement is shifted into hand-setting position; a cam disc rotatably mounted on said frame, said cam disc being circumferentially coniigurated in accordance with the extent of regulator adjustment desired through any angular degree of cam disc rotation; a lever pivoted on said frame structure, and resilient means urging said lever into contact with the circumferential surface of said cam disc; means operatively associated with said lever for engaging the said regulator-adjusting means; means for transmitting rotation of said stem arrangement in its hand-setting position to said cam disc; means normally holding said frame in its said given position against the urging of said stem-associated means; and means suitably oriented with said cam disc for releasing said frameholding means during rotation of said stem-arrangement, movement of said frame from its given position effecting engagement of said leverassociated means with said regulator-adjusting means.

8. Mechanism as set forth in claim 7, wherein the stem-associated means for urging the frame from its given position comprises rotatable means arranged to be rotated to a limited extent by the longitudinal shifting of said stem from winding to hand-setting position, and wherein the resilient means normally maintaining the frame in its given position connects said rotatable means with the frame.

9. Mechanism as set forth in claim 7, wherein a train of gears mounted on the frame serves to transmit rotation from the stem arrangement to the cam disc, and wherein one gear of said train meshes with a hand-setting gear when the frame is moved from its given position.

10. Mechanism as set forth in claim '7, wherein a train of gears mounted on the frame serves to transmit rotation from the stem arrangement to the cam disc; wherein the frame-holding means comprises a disc concentric with and xed to one of the gears of said train, and a resilient finger having one of its ends anchored` and its other end pressing against the rim of said disc; and wherein the releasing means comprises a notch in the said rim of the disc, sloping toward the free face of the disc so said resilient finger is allowed to spring radially of the disc and orto the said free face thereof when the said notchis brought into registry therewith.

ll'. Mechanism as sety forth in claim 7;, wherein the lever-associated means comprises a sector gear linked to the lever, and wherein guides are provided for the frame so said sector "gear will be brought into mesh with a regulator-adjusting gear upon movement of the frame from its given position.

lin a timepiece having a main drive mechanism, hands, and a speed regulator; a normally stationary cam mounted for movement independentiy ofthe main drive mechanismY and having a fast time surface portion, aV slow time surface portion immediately adjacent thereto, and a'point of normal time surfacev directly therebetween; a speed regulator adjuster resiliently biased into constant bearing engagement on said cam and movable thereby in degree determined by engagement with the respective surface portions f the'cam; hand setting meansincluding an element shiftabie between a first position of normal timepiece operation and a second positionfor effecting mowement of dthe hands 'frorincorrect to correct time indication, said cam being movable by the hand setting element for shifting the positions of its time surface portions relative to the speed regulator adjuster, said cam also being movable by the hand setting element during hand setting manipulation thereof coincidentally with the movement of the hands to correct time indication whereby simultaneously and proportionally to mo e the speed regulator adjuster in accordance with the configuration of the cam.

1S. In a timepiece having a main drive mechanism, hands, and a speed regulator; a normally stationary cam mounted for movement independently of the main drive mechanism and-having a fast time surface portion, a slow time surface portion immediately adjacent thereto, and a point of normal time surface directly therebetween; a speed regulator adjuster resiliently biased into constant bearing engagement on said cam and movable thereby in degree determined `by engagement 'with the respective surface portions of the cam, hand setting means including an element shiftable between a first position of normal timepiece operation and a second position for eecting movement of the hands from incorrect to correct time indication, said cam being movable by the hand setting element for shifting the positions of its time surface portions relative to the speed regulator adjuster, said cam also being movable by the hand setting element during hand setting manipulation thereof coincidentally with the movement of the hands to correct time indication whereby simultaneously and proportionally to move thespeed regulator adjuster in accordance with the configuration of the cam, and means preventing movement of the cam coincidentally with time correction movement of the hands until the cam is first shifted to place its said normal time surface point in bearing registry with the speed regulator adjuster.

14. In a timepiece having a main drive mechanism, hands, and a speed regulator; a normally stationary cam mounted for movement independently of the main drive mechanism and having a fast time surface portion, a slow time surface portion, and a point of normal time surface portion therebetween; a speed regulator adjuster resiliently biased into constant bearing engagement on said cam and movable thereby in degree determined by engagement with the respective surface portions of the cam, hand setting means including an element shiftable between a first position of normal timepiece operation and a second position for effecting movement of the hands from incorrect to correct time indication, a driving member operative by actuation of the hand setting element when in said second position, means for moving said cam to shift the surface portions of the cam relative to the point of bearing engagement With the speed regulator adjuster, and means establishing an operating connection between the cam and said driving member when the speed regulator adjuster bears on the normal time surface point of the cam between said fast time and slow time surface portion whereby the cam is' driven coincidentally and proportionally with the movement of the hands to correct time indication to engage its fast or slow time surface portion with the regulator adjuster and thus change the speed of the main drive mechanism in accordance with movement of the regulator adjuster under influence of said cam surface portions.

15. In mechanism for automatically regulating a timepiece; cam means movable in unison l2 with the time indicating means of the timepiece during movement of said time indicating means from incorrect to correct time indication; said cam means including an adjustment-effecting surface portion operative throughout any pos-v sible extent of movement of said time indicating means from incorrect to correct time in dication; means associated with said cam means and movably responsive to the configuration of the adjustment-effecting surface portion thereof; and means for transmitting the adjustment movement of said cam associated means to thespeed regulator of the timepiece.

ROBERT ELLSWORTH HOLDMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 218,224 Boynett Aug. 5, 1879 1,835,391 Haeiger Dec. 8, 1931 1,951,010 Deck Mar. 13, 1934 1,958,825 Kaufmann May 15, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 152,942 Switzerland June 16, 1932 

